Girls state track and field meets in Iowa began in 1962. In the 56 years that we have had state meets for both boys and girls, only one head coach has led a team to state titles in both genders. That is an accomplishment that only Randy Peters has on his resume. Peters coached the Davenport Central girls to state titles in 1982 and 1984 and the Central boys to the state crown in 2005.
Randy Peters was an outstanding athlete at Grundy Center High School, graduating in 1964. He excelled in football, basketball and track and learned a great deal from his coaches Greg Bice and Marv Ott. After graduating from high school, Randy went on to Wartburg College where he played basketball for 2 years and was a high hurdler on the track team for 4.
His years as a college athlete made the transition to coaching those sports a natural.
Randy coached track for 35 years, basketball for 33 and cross country for 16. Randy has also coached at Nevada, where he worked with Hall of Fame football coach Cecil Rhoads, Davenport North High School and St. Ambrose University. His accomplishments during 26 years at Davenport Central is the focus today. At Central, Randy was the Girls head track and field coach from 1975-1988, the Boys head track and field coach from 1996-2006 and both the boys and girl’s cross-country coach from 1995-2003. During his time at Central he could learn from longtime Blue Devil coach and IATC Hall of Famer Ira Dunsworth.
When asked what he would attribute his team’s successes to, Randy said, “we had hardworking, tough young men and women who could perform under pressure”. “I could talk them through things and let them draw on my years of personal experiences both in competing and coaching. I also tried to make it fun”.
While at Davenport Central, in addition to 3 state track titles, Peters coached teams won 12 MAC conference titles and 4 district crowns.
Randy was named state coach of the year twice in girls track and field, and once each in girl’s cross country and boys track and field.
Randy and his wife, Marilyn, continue living in Davenport where he sells real estate, runs a painting business, volunteers at Davenport Schools track meets, and both are active in their church. Marilyn and Randy have 4 adult children and 10 grandchildren.